Tooth



June 6, 1950 s. E. LYNN TOOTH Filed April 11, 1947 V ml gll Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOOTH Samuel E. Lynn, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application April 11, 1947, Serial No. 740,881

'7 Claims.

This invention is concerned with dentures and more particularly is directed to a novel and serviceable tooth carried by the denture. The object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel tooth adapted to be anchored to a denture and having a casing wherein a suction cup is removably held against a wall thereof about a perforation and wherein the casing embodies a shell having a bore provided with a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion in which the suction cup is removably arranged and adapted to be actuated by an internally and axially disposed shank of a rotatable and slidable plunger or cap guided by the shell and including an upper threaded part threadably and removably interconnectable with the lower threaded portion of the shell and adapted to be disconnected from the threaded portion when disposed within the unthreaded portion at which time the cap is slidably guided by the shell and retained against disengagement therefrom by the threaded portion. Other objects, advantages, and functional and structural features of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal and vertical sectional view of a denture showing the tooth according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view substantially similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the parts of the tooth exploded, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tooth shown in Fig. 1.

Illustrative of the embodiment disclosed and essential to a clear understanding of certain features of the invention, the tooth selected for illustration is generally denoted T and comprises a hollow casing C and a slidably guided plunger P. The casing is cylindrical and embodies the wall ID from which the annular and reduced shell or neck II depends.

Extending upwardly rdative to shell II but integral with the casing is the annular rim or head I2 and common to the latter and the shell II is the aforementioned intervening wall I0.

Head I2 may be considered as expanded relative to the depending shell II and the lower portion constitutes an annular stop shoulder I3 to limit upward linear displacement of the cap or plunger P.

Of importance is the fact that the lower end only of the internal cylindrical wall bounding bore I4 of the depending shell II is slightly threaded to provide the threaded portion I 5 2 which embodies about one and a half threads.

Arranged within the cylindrical chamber defined by bore I4 and Wall I0 is the concavo convex suction cup or member SC having its upper marginal portion I6 normally contacting the lower surface of wall II] which is provided with a perforation I! in alinement with the aperture I8 of the denture D to which the upstanding annular rim I2 of the casing C is appropriately fixedly anchored.

The plunger or cap P embodies a bottom closure wall I9 having its lower surface 20 simulating the shape of the bottom part of a tooth. Integral with the bottom wall I9 is the annular upstanding rim R slidably guided by and surrounding the cylindrical or annular shell I I.

Projecting from the bottom wall of the plunger and integral therewith is the axially arranged cylindrical and upstanding shank 2| provided at its upper end only with the threaded upper portion 22 and constituting a seat for the stem or shank 23 of the suction cup SC and adapted to deform the latter in the matter of expelling air out of the alined perforation I1 and aperture I8 to hold the denture D to the gum of the mouth as is Well understood.

In the matter of assembly, the casing C is first appropriately anchored to the denture. The suction cup SC is then inserted into the bore I4. Thereafter the threaded portion 22 of the shank 2| is interengaged with the internally threaded portion 15 of the cylindrical wall I4. Subsequently the plunger P is rotated to permit the threaded portion 22 of shank 2| to rise above and be detached from the threaded portion I5. Now by sliding the plunger towards the shell II, the suction cup is desirably actuated to hold the denture to the gum of the user. By such action the resilient suction cup is collapsed, at which time the threaded part 22 of the plunger is freely seated on the threaded portion I5 of the casing C. In fact, threaded portion I5 constitutes stop means to preclude withdrawal of the shank 2| from shell I I after the threaded portion 22 is free of the threaded portion I5 but above the latter, at which time the plunger is free to slide on the outer surface of the shell I I.

Should the hold of the suction cup on wall III be withdrawn, this hold may be quickly restored by actuating the cap or plunger P, hence deflecting the rubber suction cup and the latter again grips the casing.

In the assembled relation of the tooth as illustrated in Fig. l, upward displacement of the plunger P is limited when the annular rim R.

strikes the stop shoulder l3 and downward displacement is limited by the threaded portion or internal threads iii of the casing.

If it is desired to substitute another suction cup, the plunger is rotated to mesh with threaded portions I5 and 22 until shank 2! is detached from and falls out of the casing after which the old suction cup may be conveniently replaced.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

1. In a tooth, a casing comprising an upper wall provided with a perforation and embodying a depending annular shell including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and having a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion, a resilient suction cup removably dispbsed "within said be e adjacent said wall and about said perforation, a cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably surrounding and guided by said shell and ineluding a lower closure wall integral with said rim, and a shank extending upwardly from said closure wall for actuating said cup and having a threaded part interconnectable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said cap relative to said casing and disengageaole therefrom to be disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow for slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing.

2. ,In a tooth, a casing comprising an upper wall provided with a perforation and embodying a depending annular shell including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and having a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion, a resilient suction cup removably disposed within said bore above said threaded portion, adjacent said wall and about said perforation; a reciprocable cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably surrounding and guided by said shell and including a lower closure wall integral with said rim, and a shank disposed axially of and extending upwardly from said closure wall for actuating said cup and having a threaded part interconnectable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said cap relative to said casing and disengageable therefrom to be disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow for slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing.

'3. 'In a tooth, a casing comprising an upper Wall provided with a perforation and embodying a depending annular shell including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and having a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion, a resilient suction cup removably disposed within said bore above said threaded portion, adjacent said wall and about said perforation; a cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably surrounding and guided by said shell and including a lower closure wall integral with said rim, a shank extending upwardly from said closure wall for actuating said cup and having a threaded part interconnectable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said cap relative to said casing and disengageable therefrom to be disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow for slidable displacement of said cup relative to said casing, and means to limit slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing.

4. In a tooth, a casing comprising an upper wall provided with a perforation and embodying a depending annular shell including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and having a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion, a resilient suction cup removably disposed within said bore above said threaded portion, adjacent said wall and about said perforation; a cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably'surrounding and guided by said shell and including a lower closure wall integral with said rim, a shank extending upwardly from said closure wall for actuating said cup and having a threaded part interconnectable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said cap relative to said casing and disengageable therefrom to be disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow for slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing, and an annular shoulder on said casing and cooperating with said cap to limit slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing.

5. in a tooth, a casing comprising an upper wall provided with a perforation and embodying a depending annular shell including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and having a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion, a resilient suction cupremovably disposed within said bore above said threaded portion, adjacent said wall and about said perforation; a cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably surrounding and guided by said shell and including a lower closure wall integral with said rim, a shank extending upwardly from said closure wall and having a seat for actuating said cup and including a threaded part interconnectable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said cap relative to said casing and disengageable therefrom to be disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow for slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing, stop means carried by said casing and cooperating with said cap to limit upward displacement of the latter, and said threaded part cooperating with said threaded portion to limit downward displacement of said plunger.

6. In a tooth, a casing comprising an upper wall provided with a perforation and embodying a depending annular shell including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and having a lower threaded portion and an upper unthreaded portion, a resilient suction cup removably disposed within said bore above said threaded portion, adjacent said wall and about said perforation; a cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably surrounding and guided by said shell and including a lower closure 'wall integral with said rim, and a shank extending upwardly from said closure wall for actuating said cup and having a threaded part'at the upper end only thereof interconneotable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said "cap .relative to said casing and subsequently disengageable therefrom when disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing.

7. In .a' tooth for a denture provided with an aperture; a casing comprising an annular head anchored to said denture and including a bottom wall provided with a perforation in alinem'ent with said aperture and embodying a depending annular shell integral with said wall and including an internal cylindrical wall defining a bore and. having a lower threaded portion and an' upper unthreaded portion; a resilient suction cup removably disposed within said bore above said threaded portion, adjacent said wall and about said perforation; a cap embodying an annular rim removably but rotatably and slidably surrounding and guided by said shell and including a lower closure wall integral with said rim, and a shank extending upwardly from said closure wall for actuating said cup and having a threaded part at the upper end only thereof interconnectable with said threaded portion upon rotation of said cap relative to said casing and disconnectable therefrom when disposed within said unthreaded portion to allow slidable displacement of said cap relative to said casing.

SAMUEL E. LYNN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

